Japan has just restarted operations at the world’s largest nuclear power plant — a first since the 2011 Fukushima disaster shut down all reactors.
But does this move signal a new era of energy independence, or a risky leap back into the unknown?
Reactor No. 6 at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa, northwest of Tokyo, was brought back online despite strong local opposition and safety concerns.
The restart was delayed by a day after an alarm malfunction, and commercial power generation is set to begin next month.
Japan once leaned heavily on nuclear power — it supplied nearly 30% of electricity before 2011, and the government aimed for 50% by 2030.
But Fukushima changed everything. All 54 reactors went offline, and public trust collapsed.
Now, with energy imports draining the economy, Japan is trying to revive its nuclear fleet.
Though the plan is modest: 20% of electricity by 2040.
Nuclear Restart Uncertain
Still, the road ahead is rocky. Only one of the seven reactors at Kashiwazaki-Kariwa is restarting for now, while the rest face decommissioning or long delays.
Safety upgrades have become costly, and public skepticism remains high.
“Nuclear power is getting much more expensive than they ever thought,” says Dr. Florentine Koppenborg of the Technical University of Munich.
And the biggest question remains: Can Japan truly prepare for the unexpected?
As Koppenborg warns, “They’re preparing for the worst they’ve seen — not what is to come.”
In other words, Japan may be restarting more than a reactor. It’s restarting a debate that never really ended.
